Archive for the ‘Multiple Sclerosis’ Category

Michelle: When I speak of intimacy and sexuality in women with MS, I first and foremost want you to think of intimacy. It is not equal to sex. Intimacy is a part of closeness. It's about relationships, commitment. It's about touching and feeling. So, when I think of intimacy, I think of all those issues, ... Full story

Rick: We have an e-mail question from Charlotte in Georgia. "How does menopause affect MS?" We've talked about other hormonal issues and pregnancy. How about menopause? Dr. Lynch: There has not been a lot of study of ... Full story

Rick: We'll go to a question on the telephone, and it is from Michelle, who joins us from St. Louis. Go ahead with your question. Michelle: Thank you. It seems that there is a hormonal relationship, some ... Full story

Among the other things that we have talked about in multiple sclerosis are some of the gender differences and the differences in ethnic groups, and it's been very interesting because as a lot of us know, you see more MS the farther away you get from the equator. Despite that, there are certain groups, even those far away from ... Full story

Lynn: For those of us with MS, what can your panel tell us about the factors that can determine the severity of MS? Dr. Lynch: That's one of the big questions that we always want to know when somebody comes in. Is this person going to have bad MS, ... Full story

Dr. Lynch: When we're looking at research, we try to find out what's the cause of MS. Hopefully, many people think that the way we will actually find the cure for MS is to figure out what the initial cause of the disease is. Unfortunately, we have not found the cause of multiple sclerosis, but ... Full story

Dick: As you have pointed out, we now have years of data to look at and rely upon. What do these medications do? What's the mechanism for some of these medications that have demonstrated effectiveness with MS? Dr. Galetta: We have many thoughts about how ... Full story

Dr. Galetta: Before we start, there are two important points I'd like to make regarding treatment. First, patients who are doing well on treatment should continue their treatment. That is, if you're doing well on Avonex, stay on Avonex. If you're doing well on Betaseron, stay on Betaseron. If you're doing well on Copaxone, stay ... Full story

Dick: Dr. Phillips, because it is always such a basic question for patients and for families, could you talk to us briefly about the current research looking at what may cause MS? "Nobody knows what causes MS. It seems to be most likely caused by not a ... Full story

Dick: What do we know, Doctor, about the factors that can determine the severity of MS? I look at factors like the age at onset, gender, early symptoms, MRI status, and other factors that perhaps you would choose to mention. Dr. Phillips: We always wish ... Full story